Slayer: Episode Six: Bad Boys
by Gary Boshears
Summary: Check my profile for links to more episodes of this virtual spin-off series! Starring Faith, Spike, Dawn, Xander and Kennedy!
1. Overture

SLAYER EPISODE SIX: BAD BOYS 

**STARRING:**

Eliza Dushku as Faith James Marsters as Spike 

**Iyari**** Limon as Kennedy**

**Shane West as Robert**

**And**

**Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn**

**GUEST STARRING:**

**Tom Lenk as Andrew**

**Philip Angim** **as Brother Gabriel**

**CREATED BY:**

**Gary Boshears**

**Based on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' & 'Angel' created by Joss Whedon**

**WRITTEN BY:**

**Gary Boshears******

OVERTURE 

            "And, the past few days, we've had an increase in burglaries in quadrant three, so I want everyone working that area to keep a good eye on the residential zones, let's see if we can catch these creeps," Officer Robert Bloodworth made small notes on one of the writing tablets he kept available while Sergeant Myers delivered the shift briefing in the Sunnydale Police Department squad room.  Pulling his first late-night shift, on a Saturday night no less, Robert wanted to make sure he had all the information he would need to adequately perform his job.

            "Quadrant three?"  Faith, pretending to feign an interest in the briefing being handed out by the Sergeant, leaned closer to Robert to listen in his ear.  Listening to thirty minutes of police lingo and the Sergeant detailing all the trouble and potential hot spots across town, the Slayer was beginning wonder why she had taken Robert up on his invitation to ride along with him for the evening.

            Keeping his pen near the paper and his eyes focused on the Sergeant, Robert leaned towards Faith.  "For patrol purposes, the city is divided into five quadrants.  A group of officers is assigned to a specific quadrant, lets us learn our areas and the people in them better."

            "Hey, maybe we could come up with something like that for slaying?"  Faith jested, trying to brighten Robert's attitude which seemed rather grim at the moment.  All her joke prompted however was for him to role his eyes at her before returning his attention to the briefing.  "Just a thought you know, we could all learn our areas, get to know the vamps in them better."

            "Yeah," Robert kept his voice at a whisper, not wanting to draw any attention to their off-topic conversation.  "But if we split up like that, you wouldn't have anyone there to watch your back.  Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into then."

"Hey, I didn't always have you and the rest of the gang to keep an eye on me you know," Faith, respectfully, still kept her voice at a whisper, especially after seeing the passing glances they were getting from a few of the officer seated at desks near the one she and Robert were sitting at.  "Heck, even before me and B teamed up, I did some solo work."

            "And we've all seen how well you turned out after those experiences."  Her brow crinkled at Robert's comment.  "Now pay attention," he used his pen and pointed to the Sergeant who was concluding his briefing by handing out assignments to several officers who he wanted to attempt warrant service on several subject who had outstanding traffic fines and other minor misdemeanor offenses.

            Before returning to listening to the briefing, Faith had to squeeze in the last word.  "You know, someday bringing up that whole turning evil bit just isn't going to work anymore."  On reflection, Faith thought it was probably a good thing that she was able to laugh about it in the way she did without forgetting the consequences of her choices.  Being inside the police station, even as an observer, reminded her of those.

            "Above all, everyone just be careful out there," Myers began to conclude his briefing with the normal, motivational speech Faith had been hearing variations of in movies since she was six years old.  "Let's go to work."  Standing up and collecting their gear, the officer began to file out of the squad room, heading for the parking lot.  "Officer Bloodworth," Sergeant Myers caught Robert's attention before he and Faith had managed to slip out with the crowd.  With Faith at his side, he walked to the front of the room where the Sergeant was standing in front of a dry erase board.

            "Yes sir," Robert's voice was very dry and professional.  At first, he expected the shift supervisor to give him some sort of trouble about Faith riding with him, despite the fact that Chief Morgan personally approved it.

            "Officer Bloodworth, our shift has been graced with something of a special assignment tonight," from the tone of his voice, it was clear Sergeant Myers did not entirely approve of whatever this special assignment was.  "When he hit me with it, Chief Morgan suggested that you might just be the perfect person to take care of it."

            Robert's concern lessened but he remained cautious before agreeing, pretending that he might actually have the option to disagree.  "What kind of special assignment are we talking about?"

*******

            Saturday nights.  Tom Bellard would have guessed of all the nights of the week, Saturday would be the one night television networks would want to air some decent programming.  He supposed that theory was why he wasn't a television executive, not understanding the intricacies of devising a programming schedule.  Sitting next to his wife on Karen on their worn out brown couch in the living room of their double wide trailer with the two kids laid out across the floor in front of the TV set, Tom aimlessly scanned through the channels they had available.

            At approximately 7:00 in the evening as he scrolled through the channels, he landed on Fox as the always catchy theme song to 'Cops' began to play and their eyes became briefly glued to the set.  The first image on the screen as the music began was a shot from a camera in the backseat of a patrol car with a man and a woman in the front seat.  It was dark, on a city road with red and blue swirling lights accenting the beaten up red pickup in front of the vehicle.  Another police vehicle with its overhead lights running was slightly in front of their car.  "Huh, bad boys, watcha gonna, watcha gonna, watcha gonna do?"

            Instantly, the pictures on their television shifted.  A man in a light blue police uniform with his gun drawn chasing someone who looked like they were wearing a black bath robe with a hood.  The officer pursued the suspect across a yard and over a fence while the cameraman struggled to keep up with them.  "Watcha gonna do when they come for you?"

            The image on the TV again shifted.  The Bellard family now watched as several officers, in the same uniform as the first, stood near a run down, old two-story house with spotlights from their vehicles on the building.  They all had their guns drawn as several figures, dressed in the same black robes, stormed out the front door and windows of the house, holding various medieval weapons.  "Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do?  Watcha gonna do when they come for you?"

            Next on the screen was a bit of a surprise.  Instead of showing more police officers, the screen showed a young woman with long brown hair dressed in a tight blue shirt and black leather pants surrounded by six of the robed figures.  More surprisingly, she was fighting them off with a staff, making it look easy as she did so.  "Nobody naw give you no break," with a bone snapping sound, she hit one of the figures in the head, for the first time they could see that these weird people seemed to not have eyes, merely weird symbols where their eyes should be.

            "Police naw give you no break," in a similar scene, this time one of the police officers was surrounded by a group of the eyeless men in black robes.  Reaching to the back of his duty belt, he grabbed and deployed his expandable baton.  As they began to charge at them, he easily fought them off with the weapon.  "Not even you idren naw give you no break."

            As the song began to conclude, the camera followed one of the police officers and the young woman from before as they walked out of a house with one of the robed figures between them, his hands behind his back as each of them held onto an arm.  "Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do, watcha gonna do," the figure began to struggle, prompting the officer and the woman to slam him on the hood of the patrol car.  "When they come for you?"

            The images faded out to the familiar 'Cops' logo, a staple of the Fox network for many years as the also familiar narration voice began speaking.  "This special hour long edition of Cops was filmed on location with the men and women of the Sunnydale Police Department.  All suspects that survived are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."

            Tom looked around the living room at his wife and kids who kept their eyes on the television set.  "So what do you think, we change the channel?"

            "Yeah," all three answered in unison.

GO TO ACT ONE 


	2. Act One

ACT ONE 

**SUNNYDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT**

**QUADRANT FOUR; ****12:19 AM******

            The police cruiser moved down the almost empty roads.  Its occupants kept a close eye on the sidewalks and empty businesses, watching for any movement in the shadows where the tall street lights did not illuminate.  Surprising for a Saturday night, most of the roads were deserted.  Even a pass by the Bronze earlier had not shown a great deal of activity.  For Robert Bloodworth, the quiet was a good sign of a potentially quiet evening.  For Faith, it was far from a good sign.  When thing Buffy had managed to instill in her was that thing usually got quiet right before they got bad.

            "I've known for a good part of my life I wanted to be a police officer.  Growing up in Los Angeles, I was around cops all the time.  My dad always tried to teach me to have a sense of justice, gave me real clearly defined ideals of right and wrong and taught me how good it feels to help other people and your community.  Probably not a big surprise to most people that the son of the LA chief of police would go on to become a police officer himself.  I love it though, it's the only thing I've ever thought about doing with my life," in the middle of his speech, Robert and Faith shared a quick but knowing glance.  "And it's what I want to keep doing, as long as they'll let me.  It's a special calling you know, just being able to help people and do some good and go home each day knowing that you've made a difference."  Faith could relate in some ways to the last part of his statement.

            Trying to keep his eyes on the road, Robert didn't look at the cameraman in the back seat, although he could tell he was still recording by the powerful light on top of the camera that illuminated his entire front seat.  As the light went off, the cameraman obviously saving his tape and battery for something more eventful, Robert let his eyes relax, adjusting again to the darkness before glancing at Faith who was noticeably silent in the passenger seat.  "That sounded lame didn't it?"

            "Lame wasn't quite the word I was looking for," Faith broke out of the reserved shell she had settled into for the first hour of Robert's shift which began at eleven o'clock in the evening, her normal upbeat and wry self returning.  "I was thinking something more along the lines of total loser or drama queen but if lame works for you we'll go with that."  She grinned wryly at him, Robert smiling softly in response before he replied.

            "I thought it was great Officer Bloodworth," from the backseat of the car, the cameraman chimed in with his opinion before Robert could say anything in response to Faith.  "Just the kind of thing people like to here at the start of the segment on our television show."

            Faith couldn't believe what she had gotten herself into.  She had tried to back out of riding with Robert once she found at that the 'Cops' cameraman would also be along for the entire eight hours but he had convinced her to stay.  Now, barely an hour into the shift, this man, who had spent far too much time in Hollywood as far as she could tell, was already starting to get on her nerves.  "You going to listen to spike back there?"  Faith referred to the cameraman by his too long, spiked brown hair with the tips so blonde they could be called golden.

            "You know Faith he has been doing this for a while," one of the first things the cameraman told Robert was that he had been filming police officers on duty for the past four years.  "He knows what it takes to keep the viewers at home happy."

            "You're really getting off on this aren't you?"  Faith hadn't thought Robert would be the type to go nut when someone put a camera in front of him.  Then again, he had always managed to surprise her.  "Gotta admit Robbie, never pictured you as the autograph signing type."

            "I don't know," Robert was beginning to feel more relaxed despite the presence of the cameraman watching their every movement from his backseat.  "I've got a pretty good face, maybe I could still make a name for myself in some of those sappy, far from reality teen movies."

            "I'd stick with your day job," Faith quipped.

            "Night job," Robert issued a hasty correction.

            The powerful light from the camera switched back on as the cameraman decided to, in lack of any action or events, film some more space filler, growing increasingly interested in this Faith woman who was riding in the vehicle.  "So, Officer Bloodworth, Ms. Faith, how do the two of you know each other?  Old friends?"  He assumed based on how comfortable they seemed with each other.

            Faith and Robert shared an awkward glance.  That wasn't really a story to be shared with him or with the millions of people who could potentially hear it if it ever made it to the air.  "Faith, why don't you field that one?"  Robert beat her to the opportunity to pass the question off.

            She considered for a moment, the best response she could give.  Her past was a little too colorful to start giving detailed accounts of their first meeting and the events that caused that meeting to transpire.  "He helped me out once," she decided the explanation she devised would suitably enough answer the question without giving too much away.  "A while ago, when I was in a lot of trouble and having a hard time pulling myself through some things, he helped me out, when I really needed it.  And it's just Faith, not Ms."  Something about being addressed as a Ms. Just didn't seem right to her.

            "Could you elaborate a little bit?"  The cameraman asked, nodding, impressed with the material he was getting from these two so far.

            "No," was the resounding answer from both of the people in the front seat.  "Real long story," Robert jumped in to salvage the situation.  "Real long and too boring of a story to start laying it all out right now."

            "Uh-huh," the cameraman conceded, certainly having no place on his limited number of precious video tapes for long and boring stories.  "So Ms … " he instantly correct himself.  "So Faith, what do you do for a living?  Are you pursuing a career in law enforcement?"

            "Yeah, that would happen," Faith scoffed.  "Just kidding," she recovered.  "I'm a counselor at the high school.  Law enforcement wouldn't really be my thing though, just out here to spend some quality time with my good old friend."  She gave Robert a squeeze on the arm as he turned back onto one of the main roads in town from a side street they had been patrolling.

            "And because the two high school girls she lives with are having an all night popcorn, nail painting and teen movie festival," Robert noted the real reason, or at least what he thought was the real reason Faith had taken him up on his offer to ride with him tonight.

            "Didn't think I could deal," Faith added.

            "PD – 1144," the voice of a female communications officer came loudly through the speaker mounted in the middle of the partition that separated the front and back seats of the patrol unit.  The cameraman focused his attention on Robert as he retrieved the black and silver radio microphone from his dash and verified his car radio was set to transmit on the correct channel.

            "1144 – PD, go ahead ma'am."  He pulled his vehicle off the road and into the slightly lit parking lot of a fast food restaurant before hastily retrieving a pen and notepad to write down whatever information they were preparing to give him.

            "1144, need you en-route to 1630 Revello Drive, repeating 1630 Revello Drive," recognizing the address, Robert had dropped his pen back in its place, activated his red and blue emergency lighting and was speeding down the road, his foot firmly seated on the accelerator as the police department dispatch continued to give information.  As he neared an intersection with a red light, he activated his siren as well, the noise from it penetrating the car.

            "Have a possible break-in at the residence," the more information that came in, the harder his foot pressed the gas pedal.  "Received a 911 call one or two minutes ago.  Heard a young woman screaming for help and a lot of noise in the background, possible physical disturbance.  No answer on callback."

            Robert was only minutes away even before dispatch finished giving him the assignment.  Carefully negotiating a corner at a speed it wasn't meant to be taken, Robert keyed his microphone to reply.  "1144 – PD, clear on your traffic, show us responding code three, estimate about a three to five minute E.T.A., go ahead and have another unit respond as well if you would."

            "1129 – 1144," before dispatch could respond and send another officer to backup Robert and Faith, Officer Sloan was contacting him on the radio.  In the background, the siren on his vehicle could also be heard.  "I'll be en-route to back you up."

            "10 – 4 sir, appreciate it," thanking his fellow officer for the assistance, Robert replaced the microphone on its dashboard holder.

            "PD – 1129, clear on your traffic, show you en-route to backup 1144 at 1630 Revello Drive," as dispatch finished talking on the radio, Robert glanced at Faith who had retrieved her cellular phone from her back pocket and was hastily dialing a number.

            "No answer at the house," she pressed the end button, barely waiting anytime for her first call to disconnect before punching in another number.  "Come on Dawn," she muttered, waiting for an answer on Dawn's cellular phone.  "Damn," she all but punched the end key on the phone, sliding it back into her pocket.

            "Don't worry," Robert's vehicle slid around another corner into the familiar residential area Faith had come to call home over the past few months.  "We're almost there," he reassured her.  From the look on her face and her overall demeanor, it was no secret she was anxious to arrive.  Seeing the concerned expression on her face, he cautiously took one hand off the wheel and squeezed hers with it, a slight smile appearing on her face.

            "Officer Bloodworth," with the brief excitement, Robert had forgotten about the cameraman in his backseat, despite the presence of the light from the camera illuminating the front seat of his vehicle.  "Could you give us a quick rundown of what's going on before we arrive on scene?"

            Now he was beginning to see where the annoying part of having him along came in.  "All right," he didn't exactly know what to say.  The fact that it was Faith's house not withstanding, this all seemed fairly routine to him.  "Right now, we've been dispatched with another officer to a possible disturbance at a residence.  Don't have a lot of information at this point," making another sliding turn onto Revello Drive, Robert began to apply the brake, knowing Faith's house was close.  "Dispatch advised that there was some screaming and a lot of noise in the background and no answer on call back so we're pretty unclear as to what the situation is at this point."  He rolled into the driveway pulling in behind Faith's gray SUV and took his radio microphone off the dashboard.  "1144, we'll be 23 on scene."  He let the microphone fall to the floor of his car.

            Faith already had the passenger door open, her feet hanging out of the vehicle but waited to follow Robert's lead, this was his turf after all.  All the lights of the house, both inside and out were turned off, leaving the moon and nearby street lights as their only source of light.  Robert rotated the spotlight in front of his door, turned it on and illuminated the front door of the residence.  The door was hanging by one hinge with obvious splinters on it and the frame, apparently having been kicked or busted in.  Now they were both worried.

            "1144," he hastily grabbed the microphone to call dispatch with the new information before he proceeded any further.  "Front door of the residence looks as though it's been broken into.  Don't see any activity here at the moment, go ahead and show us out of the car here."  He reached below the dashboard, near the controls for his overhead lights and retrieved a large black flashlight from its circular charging station, handing it to Faith.  "Let's check it out."

            They stepped out of the car, slamming their doors.  The cameraman was quick behind them, keeping his view focused on Robert and Faith as they cautiously approached the front door of the house.  Shining his own smaller flashlight he had taken from the back of his duty belt inside, Robert slowly removed his sidearm from the holster as he tentatively approached the damaged door, peaking his head inside to make sure the immediate entrance way was clear of any potential danger.  "1144 – 1129," he keyed the lapel microphone of his handheld radio and contacted his backup unit.

            "1129 – 1144, go ahead."

            "1129, I've got the front door busted in here.  Two story house, I'd like to wait until you arrive to clear it, can you give me an E.T.A.?"  Robert knew he had more than suitable backup with Faith present but didn't think it would look good for him to be going into a potentially dangerous situation with only a civilian to back him up.

            "Less than a minute," from up the street, coming the opposite direction from the one Robert and Faith arrived by, they could already see the swirling red and blue emergency lighting from Sloan's patrol vehicle.  The cameraman panned his heavy, shoulder held camera up the road, getting a picture of the overhead and grill mounted red and blue lights of the approaching vehicle.

            "10 – 4 sir, I see you coming, I'll go ahead and wait for you."

            "10 – 4," Sloan answered as he parked his vehicle on the sidewalk to avoid blocking in Robert's car incase they needed to quickly get back on the road.  "1129 – PD, show me 10-23 with 1144 at 1630 Revello Drive."  Officer Sloan, a tall muscular man in his mid-forties with short brown hair exited his vehicle, activating his handheld radio unit and drawing his sidearm from his black leather duty belt.  "Break in?"  He approached the area near the front door where Robert, Faith and the cameraman had gathered.

            "Front door's been busted in," he repeated his summary as the cameraman backed away slightly from the group so as to get a better picture of the two officers as they where meeting.  "This is one of the people who lives here," he pointed out Faith.  "Good friend of mine, just happened to be riding with me tonight."

            "I'm Faith," she decided to be cordial despite feeling that now was not the best time to be doing introductions.  She wanted to figure out what was going on.

            "Jim Sloan," he walked closer to Robert and gestured towards the front door, readying his own flashlight in his left hand opposite his weapon.  "Let's get this done Robert."  Robert took point, bringing his weapon into a ready position as he guardedly stepped through the entranceway and into the dwelling.  Sloan followed behind him, both officers sweeping their weapons and lights around the first room they stepped into, Faith and the cameraman following them in as well.

            Once the entryway was clear, Robert used hand signals to direct Officer Sloan to check upstairs while he and Faith secured the bottom story of the house.  As Sloan moved up the stairs, his flashlight and pistol in hand, Robert, Faith and the cameraman moved into the room on the left side of the entryway.  As they meticulously swept through the rooms on the bottom story, they saw nothing.  Both Robert and Faith became tempted to yell out for Dawn or Kennedy but resisted the urge, knowing it could alert any potential dangers that could be lying in wait.

            "Found something!"  Sloan's voice carried well enough from the second story of the house for Robert and Faith to here the urgency in it.  They broke into a sprint with the cameraman struggling to keep up as they flew up the stairs.  When they reached the top of the stairs, they could see the light from Sloan's flashlight emanating from Dawn's bedroom.

            When they entered, Officer Sloan was standing over a body laying facedown on the floor, his pistol aimed at the intruder's head.  The body was dressed in black robes with a hood covering his head and a curved blade dagger in his left hand.  Quickly surveying the rest of the room, Faith took note of damage to the door frame and also observed the window to be shattered.  Robert trained his pistol on the figure as Faith reached to the dagger she had concealed underneath her shirt on the small of her back.

            Using his leg, Robert pushed the body over, revealing a sight that shocked both Sloan and the cameraman but that Faith barely reacted to.  Where the individual's eyes should have been were archaic symbols that seemed as though they were carved into his eye sockets.  It also became obvious that whoever this was, he was dead, a small dagger protruding from his neck.

            "Crap," Faith muttered, loud enough for the others to hear, as she remembered the events of last year where she had seen enough of these henchmen to last more than a couple life times.

            Robert immediately recognized that Faith knew something about this and that it probably wasn't something everyone else needed to be hearing.  "Jim, the first floor is clear, you got the rest of the rooms up here?"

            "Gotta check one more," he hadn't yet recovered from the shock of seeing the mutilations on the body lying in the floor.

            "Why don't you take camera boy with you?"  Robert suggested, looking for an easy way to allow him and Faith a moment to talk in private.  Not saying anything else, Sloan again readied his weapon as the cameraman followed him out of the bedroom and down the hall.  Holstering his sidearm but leaving the thumb break unsecured to allow him quick and easy access if necessary.  "You know these guys?"  His eyes shot to the dead body on the floor.

            "Yeah, too well."  Before Robert could ask for one, Faith decided to give a better explanation.  "You remember when I told you about the First?"

            "Why do I not like where this is going?"  Starting to explain how she recognized someone by asking if he remembered a story about the ultimate evil force in the world could not mean good things.

            "These guys are some of his, well, some of its goons; called harbingers or bringers as we dislike calling them.  Not much in the eyes department but pretty damn good in a fight.  I thought they all disappeared when we took the first out a few months ago but looks like I was wrong," of all the things she could be wrong about, Faith had hoped it wouldn't be that.  The bringers wouldn't be around if the First wasn't somehow guiding their will.

            "You think the First is back somehow?"  Robert began to make assumptions.

            "Don't see how," Faith shrugged.  "But looks like that's the case, I don't think these guys have much of a will of their own.  If they're back in town, worse things aren't going to be far behind them."  The last battle against the First had nearly killed everyone she cared about, Faith wasn't anxious for another anytime soon.

            "Robert!"  Officer Sloan's called out to them again from Kennedy's room down the hall from Dawn's.  They rushed down the hall where Sloan's gun and the cameraman's camera were both pointed towards another body laying face down on the ground.  This body however was not clad in the recognizable uniform of the bringers but in another recognizable choice of clothing, a pair of black jeans and an Obi-Wan Kenobi t-shirt.

            "Andrew," not waiting for Robert or Sloan to lower their weapons, Faith dropped to her knees and rolled the young, blonde-haired man over to face her.  As he holstered his weapon, Robert gave a silent motion to Officer Sloan to do the same.  The Slayer shook the nerd gently until his eyes popped open.  He had a bruise on his eye and blood running down the side of his face from a cut on his head.

            "Don't it's a trap!"  Was the first thing Andrew shouted when he came to and quickly sat up, apparently being awakened from some unrelated dream.

            "Andrew!"  Faith shook him again to gain his full attention.  "Andrew, look at me," his heavy breathing finally ceased as Faith gained his attention and he met eyes with the Slayer.  "Andrew what the hell happened here?"  Faith thought about the question for a moment.  "And what the hell are you doing in my house?"

            He hesitated briefly.  "Well, I think, if you want to be technical about it, then it's Buffy's house," Faith raised her eyebrows, signaling her dissatisfaction with what he had said so far.  "Umm … Dawn and Kennedy, mostly Dawn, asked me if I'd like to come over and have a chick flick night with them," Robert and Sloan could not help but chuckle as Andrew continued with his story.  "So, we were sitting around, watching a movie, trading stories about lost loves and memories and," Faith cleared her throat, signaling him to get to the point.  "We heard some cars pull up, two beaten up red pickups and an old black van.  When the girls saw the bringers getting out of them and comings towards the house, they did everything they could.  It was like Xena, Warrior Princess but there were just too many of them.  We ran upstairs, tried to hold the bringers off but more came through the windows.  The last thing I saw was them taking Dawn and Kennedy, right before they hit me on the head."

            "1144," Robert keyed his lapel microphone to contact dispatch with the limited information they now had.  The vehicles with the bringers and hopefully Dawn and Kennedy couldn't have gotten far in the small amount of time they had.

            "PD – 1144, go ahead sir."

            Faith and Andrew continued talking about what happened while Robert spoke on his radio.  "Ma'am, dispatch EMS to this location, I have one victim with a possible injury.  Also advise all units to be on the lookout for three suspect vehicles.  No plates available at this time, vehicles will be two beaten up red trucks and an old black van.  Possibility of multiple suspects in each vehicle, should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.  Also possibility of two hostages, nothing further at this time."

            "There was something else," as he finished his transmission, Robert was again able to listen to Andrew talking to Faith.  "I thought it was kind of weird you know.  Granted, I haven't spent a whole lot of time around bringers, especially in any sort of a social setting but these bringers, they were talking.  Like I said, thought it was kind of weird."

            "And they were saying?"  Faith continued pressing for information.

            "Blood," he answered plainly.  "They needed blood."

            "Of course," Faith stood up.  "It's always blood."

            As they stood around silently with no direction for where to go next, a male voice came through the lapel microphones of Robert's and Officer Sloan's handheld radios.  "1122 – PD," they recognized the voice as Officer Frank Koch.  In the background of his radio transmission, the siren on his vehicle could clearly be heard.

            "1122," dispatch answered.

            "1122 – PD, I'm in pursuit of three vehicles matching 1144's suspect vehicle description.  Traveling northbound on 15th street, approximately seventy-five miles per hour.  Attempted a traffic stop and they're running from me.  All the vehicles are together right now, unknown number of occupants."

            "Go Robert," Sloan jumped in, seeing the expressions on Faith's and Robert's faces, knowing they needed to get out there.  "I'll wait here until EMS shows up."

            "Thanks Jim," Robert gave his fellow officer a squeeze on the arm before he and Faith bolted down the stairs.  Struggling to keep up, the cameraman was following them as quickly as he could.

            "Must get footage, must get footage, going to get Emmy," the cameraman continuously repeated to himself as he struggled to catch his breath when he reached the patrol car only a few seconds behind Faith and Robert.

            The tires on his car squealed as Robert threw the vehicle into reverse, pulling out of the driveway and activated his siren in addition to emergency lighting as he sped down the road.  "1144 – PD, we'll be en-route to backup 1122 on the pursuit."

            "1020 en-route as well," Sergeant Myers was next over the radio.

            "1122 to 1020 and 1144, we're still north on 15th."

            "1020 to all available units, start moving to backup 1122 and deploy barricades to block the pursuit once we have a more clear direction of where they may be headed.  1020 – PD, close the radio channel for emergency traffic only."

            "10 – 4," dispatch acknowledged.

            As Robert acknowledged over the radio, Faith had pulled her cellular phone out of her back pocket and was quickly dialing another number.  Robert didn't bother to ask, too focused on his driving.  The cameraman however, aside from filming, didn't have anything quite so important as to divert his attention.  "Who are you calling?"

            "Some backup of my own."

*******

            Spike struck the face of the Cult of the Everlasting vampire with a clenched fist.  Instead of falling backwards after the beating, he stood still, Spike grasping the vampire's arm and wrenching his sword away from him.  With the weapon in his hand, Spike released his hold on the enemy and kicked him in the chest, sending him crashing into a tree.

            Instead of advancing on the first cultist, Spike spun around, swinging the sword and severing the head of another one that was coming up behind him.  A cloud of dust appeared and fell to the ground as Spike closed on the first attacker, who had recovered from his impact against the try and was charging the blonde vampire.  He ducked under two high punches thrown by the enemy, smashing his own fist into the cultists' stomach.

            "Don't tell me Barris hasn't put out the memo yet," as the cultists charged him again, Spike swung the sword, severing his head.  "But I'm back," Spike let the sword fall, impaling itself in the ground on top of the pile of dust that was once its owner.  "Meaning all of you cultist types had better pack up and find some better place for your evil plans.  Because the Slayer and I," reaching into his coat, he pulled out a stake and jammed it behind him, into the heart of another cultist that was trying to surprise him.  "Are going to make you sorry for ever stepping foot in his town."

            Spike heard a strange ringing noise coming from his coat pocket.  It took him a moment to remember about the new cellular phone Faith had asked him to carry.  Something about a vampire being equipped with some of the latest communications technology just seemed strange to him.  He pulled the small, silver phone from the inner pocket of his trench coat.  The blue backlight display with black letters only had two words, one above the other.  "Ringing" and "Faith".

GO TO ACT TWO 


	3. Act Two

ACT TWO 

**SUNNYDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT**

**VEHICLE PURSUIT; ****12:32 AM******

            "1122, we're just passing the intersection of 15th and Polk, still traveling northbound, speed approximately eighty miles per hour and where the hell are you guys?"  Becoming frustrated in the few minutes he had been pursuing the vehicles by himself, Officer Koch completely threw radio etiquette out the window.

            Robert's tires squealed and the rear end of his car fish-tailed as he made a sharp and unexpected left turn.  He sped down Ellis Street, two blocks away from the intersection the pursuit had just passed.  "Officer Bloodworth," the cameraman spoke up from the back seat, not distracting Robert from his duty of trying to get in position to join the pursuit.  "If you could give us another update with what's going on right now."

            Faith had to keep herself from laughing when she saw the look of annoyance that crept its way onto Robert's face.  She would have to remind him when this was all done about how she thought the idea sounded terrible but he thought it would be interesting to have the cameraman along for the ride, detailing his night for primetime viewers to see.  It seemed as though he was beginning to come over to his way of thinking.  "Officer Bloodworth?"  With the siren running, the cameraman thought he might not have been heard the first time.

            "Come on Robbie," Faith quipped.  "Give the viewers what they want now."

            Robert shot her a quick glare before returning his attention to the road.  They would be hitting 15th in just a few seconds and, based on Officer Koch's latest position report, he would be joining the pursuit only slightly behind them.  After a long sigh, Robert gave in.  "Okay, right now we're en-route to backup another Officer.  He's in a vehicle pursuit of three vehicles matching the description of the suspect vehicles from the home invasion we just checked out."

            "Great, great," the cameraman was beginning to see recognition, respect and most importantly awards more clearly.  "Think you could give us some little line about how this is dangerous or unpredictable?  Those really hook people in."

            Faith gave him a wry grin as Robert thought of something that would be suitable to say.  "It's a dangerous situation you know.  We don't know exactly how many suspects there are and we think they might have taken hostages so it's going to be a difficult matter to handle as unpredictable as the whole thing is."

            "Great!  Great!"  He moved the camera slightly away from Robert, focusing directly out the front window of the patrol car, wanting to catch the action as it happened from this point.  When they were within a few feet of the intersection with 15th, they watched as two old and beaten-up trucks and a similar van flew threw a red light with a Sunnydale Police patrol unit moving fast behind them, its lights and sirens active.

            Robert again made a hard turn onto the street, his car beginning to spin in response.  He quickly recovered this, slamming his foot down on the accelerator.  "1144 – PD, I'll be in pursuit of those vehicles with 1122."

            "1020 – 1144, I'm about a minute away."

            "10 – 4 boss, still northbound on 15th, just passed Ellis Street, coming up on Perry."  Sergeant Myers acknowledged the information from Robert and went about directing other officer to set up a road block at a specific point, trying to end the chase there.

            With the straight road in front of them, no sign of the bringers wanting to easily give up and no moves they could easily make at the moment, Robert was able to relax.  After a minute of acceleration, he caught up with Officer Koch's patrol unit and eased off the gas slightly, settling in a short distance behind the vehicles being driven by the bringers or what they assumed to be those vehicles.

            "Ideas?"  Robert took his eyes off the road briefly and looked to the Slayer for guidance.  The bringers did fall more into her jurisdiction than they did his, even though he had the police department fully involved in the matter now.

            "Aside from take them down," Faith didn't exactly see what kind of advice he wanted.  She could babble on for hours about when they fought the First, the fighting style the bringers use, their type of weapons, the best ways to kill them but she doubted that was what Robert wanted.  "What kind of ideas you looking for?"

            "Maybe which one of these vehicles Dawn and Kennedy are in?"

            "I'm supposed to know that how exactly?"  Her reaction was not what Robert had wanted but Faith didn't know what Robert was expecting from her.  "Not like I was there watching or helped kidnap them you know."

            "Come on Faith," he was trying to keep himself from becoming frustrated with her as his frustration level was already at a high thanks to the situation they found themselves in.  "You and I both know you have," he struggled for the correct word.  "Instincts.  You must have some idea burning in the back of your mind.  Tell me where those girls are."

            "Yeah, I have instincts about who's a vampire and who's not, who's evil and who's not.  I don't have person radar built into my head, not part of the Slayer package," though Faith's instincts had served her well in the past, she didn't want to put the fate of those two girls solely on them.

            "Ummm ... did you say vampires?"  The cameraman suddenly became very confused.  In the period of a few seconds, he had gone from filming a police pursuit to listening to some woman talking about how she can sense vampires.  Not that the producers hadn't warned him about Sunnydale and its history of odd occurrences.

            "Yeah," Robert decided to try covering for her as he expected the Slayer didn't have much of an excuse in mind.  "The first kid she counseled at the school, real troubled guy.  He had kind of pale skin and pointy teeth.  She used to say he looked like a –"

            "Vampire!"  The cameraman made the connection, things suddenly not seeming quite as weird now.  "So now, she refers to troubled kids as vampire," Faith raised her eyebrows at Robert when she realized how this was making her sound.

            "Oh you come up with something better," he whispered.

            Faith shrugged.  "True."

            "Okay, so I get the thing about vampires," the cameraman continued trying to determine the meanings of Faith's odd statement.  "But what about the thing about sensing evil?  I mean, troubled kids aren't necessarily evil."

            "No," Faith's voice trailed off as she again tried to quickly come up with a way to explain what she had said.

            "But some might be," Robert quickly followed her lead and came up with another story.  "And Faith is good at picking those out, talking to them and stopping them before they do something terrible that they might regret."  Faith was sure the cameraman wasn't going to but that.

            "Okay," much to the surprise of them both, he accepted the answer.  "I guess that makes sense."  Before anything else could be said, another Sunnydale Police car came squealing around a corner, joining the pursuit in between the cars being driven by Robert and Officer Koch.

            "1020 – 1122 and 1144, I'm with you guys."  In front of the three patrol units, the suspect vehicles began to spread out, taking up both lanes of traffic traveling north and one lane on the other side of the road.  The van was in the center with a truck on either side of it.  Instinctively, the police officers began to spread their patrol units out as well, each ready to follow if one of the vehicles made a break down another road.

            "1122, we're just about a mile from a major intersection here, these guys might be getting ready to split up," Officer Koch surmised from the new behavior being portrayed by the suspect vehicles.

            "If it comes to that, we each take one until more backup can arrive," Sergeant Myers issued his orders next over the radio.  Robert and Officer Koch acknowledged.  Now Robert really needed those instincts Faith thought she didn't have.

            "Help me out here Faith," his request was almost a plea.  Even though he hadn't known them nearly as long, in many ways, he felt as though he cared as much about Dawn and Kennedy as Faith did.  In the short time he had been in Sunnydale, they had all been through a lot together.  "If those cars do split up, which one of them do I follow?"

            "Robert I'm telling you I don't know," Faith was trying but couldn't get whatever instincts Robert thought she had but she couldn't come up with which car Dawn and Kennedy were being held in.

            "Then give me a guess Faith," Robert's tone shifted drastically as he became increasingly annoyed with the situation.  "'Cause I don't have any ideas, instincts or educated guesses of my own so we might as well go with your blind luck over mine."

            "And what makes you think my luck is any better than yours?"  She beginning to think she needed to give Robert the story of her life again whenever this ordeal ended.

            "They're spreading out more," Officer Koch's voice came through the radio speaker behind Robert and Faith.  "Looks like they're definitely going to split up at the intersection."

            Faced with having to do so, Faith made a decision.  "That one," she pointed to the truck closest to them, Robert instantly turned the steering wheel to pull in behind it, while grabbing his radio microphone off the dash and pressing the transmit key.

            "1144, I'll take this truck."

            "1020, got the other truck."

            "1122, I'm on the van."

            As soon as the officers finished talking on the radio, the suspect vehicles split off in three different directions.  The truck Robert was following turned left, the van continued on a straight path and the second truck being followed by Sergeant Myers turned right.  Robert took the sharp turn at a significantly higher rate of speed than the truck, allowing him to close the distance between the two vehicles as they continued on the single-lane.

            With his vehicle on the tail of the suspect truck, he could see multiple figures piled into the extended cab as well as a number of what he assumed to be trailers sitting in the bed of the truck.  One of the figures seated in the bed of the truck turned and looked towards Robert's car.  He stood up, reaching into his robe and drawing a curved blade knife that reflected the red and blue emergency lighting of Robert's patrol car.  He pulled his arm back and hurled the weapon at the police car.

            Robert jerked the steering wheel, swerving his vehicle out of the way of the knife as it bounced off the cement road.  Although it failed, the attack did accomplish one objective in that Robert's swerving caused the gap between the two vehicles to increase.  Acting as soon as he was back in a straight line with the bringer's truck, he drew his weapon, transferred it to his left hand.  Steering with his right, he hung the gun out the window and fired two shots, knocking down the bringer who had thrown the knife.  That made him feel better as he placed his weapon back in the holster.  He then called in their location and a status update to the police department dispatch before again relaxing as the pursuit eased back into being almost casual.

            "You know," Faith was now the one who was frustrated and, by the look on her face, bordering on angry.  "I somehow don't see firing a gun at a car that might have hostages in it as standard police procedure."  She promised Buffy she would look after Dawn and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to her that couldn't be avoided.

            "Sorry," Robert knew better than to do what he did of course.  "Couldn't hold back."  This was the first time ever Faith had seen Robert and act like that, in a way, it scared her.  "Just needed to burn off a little steam I think."

            "Yeah, I can deal with burning off steam, just not in the direction of Dawn or Kennedy or both of them," despite the fact that she thought she was beginning to sound too much like B, Faith continued with her dressing down of him.

            "I know Faith, I know!"  As he seemed to get the point, the Slayer eased off of her attack.  "Look it was stupid, I don't know why I did it but I did and I won't make a mistake like that again."

            "Best documentary here I come," the cameraman muttered to himself.  Before either Robert or Faith had the chance to say anything, another set of swirling red and blue lights appeared behind Robert's car.

            "1156 – 1144," between Officer Koch and Sergeant Myers calling in their own status updates, Officer Tom Smith's voice appeared on the radio.

            "1144."

            "Robert he's about to hit a four lane road, we could move in beside him and try a PIT maneuver.  It's risky but it might be our best chance to go ahead and bring this thing to an end."  Officer Smith's suggestion seemed to be their best recourse as neither Robert nor Faith had any other ideas about how to bring this pursuit to an end.

            "10 – 4 Tom, let's go ahead and give it a shot when he hits the four lane."  At that moment, the road they were on merged onto the four lane road Officer Smith had just mentioned.  The bringer's truck accelerated as did the two police vehicles in pursuit, both moving in on each side of the truck in a flanking maneuver.

            "1156 – 1144, go ahead and try the PIT at your discretion when we're in position.  If you don't get the job done I'll hit him again from this side."  Both police vehicles continued attempting to move up on the truck.  Robert trying to position his vehicle to bump the back side of it, hoping that would cause it to spin out of control.  Closing the remaining distance however was proving to be a slow and difficult process.

            "You got any other ideas Faith now is in the time," Robert suggested as he held his foot down on the accelerator and focused on the road.  As the Slayer tried to think of any option that might be preferable to a risky pursuit ending maneuver, the three people in Robert's car heard something coming from behind it that no one expected.  Despite the wail of the sirens, they could all clearly hear music coming from outside behind Robert's car.

            As they listened to the familiar song, "Bad to the Bone" continuing to grow louder, the cameraman swung his camera around to face the rear driver's side window of Robert's car.  He zoomed in on what was clearly the source of the music, a black motorcycle quickly closing on the police vehicle.  When the bike, which apparently had a large boom box taped to the front, became even with the back window, he saw it was being driven by a blonde-haired man dressed all in black, his trench coat blowing in the wind.

            Robert and Faith could not help but watch as Spike nonchalantly rode past them on his bike, closing faster than they were on the bringer's truck.  Once he passed the hood of Robert's patrol unit, he popped a wheelie as he gunned his bike, waved and sped past them.  "What the hell is Spike doing?"  Faith had called him for help but she hadn't expected this kind of help.

            "I'm trying to grab this footage!"  The cameraman remembered the little nickname Faith had coined for him in their first hour or riding together before all hell had broken loose.  "This is great footage, the arrival of a dark vigilante or an aid to the fugitives," his narration ended as both Faith and Robert turned and shot him a glare.  "Well, I don't hear much commentary coming from the two of you."

            Spike brought his bike in closer to the bringer's truck.  When the two vehicles were side by side, Spike stood up, still holding the throttle down with one hand and grabbing a battle-axe off the side of his bike with the other.  The bringer's in the bed of the truck all jumped from their seated positions, drawing daggers from their cloaks and preparing other weapons.

            "Robert get us closer," when Faith realized what Spike was doing, she had an idea of her own.

            "Mind clueing me in on what you plan to do?"  Apparently Spike's sudden arrival had sparked Faith's creative side and allowed her to come up with a plan of action after all.

            "End this."

            "Woah!"  The cameraman exclaimed.  Robert and Faith had been paying more attention to each other than watching what was happening when Spike jumped from his motorcycle into the bed of the bringer's truck.  As he watched Spike fend off the seven bringers in the bed of the truck by himself, he suddenly realized what Faith was planning.

            "You're not serious?"

            "I've survived a lot worse jumps than that.  Besides," a bringer flew off the back of the truck, with his own knife impaled in his stomach.  Robert swerved to miss the body, his rear driver's side wheel running over the bringer's head.  "Spike could use a hand up there."

            Without going into the trying to figure out why Faith was calling the blonde-haired vigilante Spike as well, the cameraman became all to excited as he figured out what she was planning to do.  "Oh my god, in a daring move, the civilian rider with this police unit is going to attempt to board the suspect truck in an attempt to gain control of the fugitive vehicle and aid this strange vigilante that has already taken the law into his own hands."  Robert punched the accelerator, throwing the cameraman back into his seat as he attempted to get close enough for Faith to make the jump.

            The Slayer rolled down the window of the patrol unit, pulled herself onto the rood of the car with her arms and walked onto the hood.  Robert advised Officer Smith that they were going to try something else before the PIT maneuver.  To aid Faith and Spike he turned on the spotlight near his door and shined it on the bed of the bringer's truck.  He slammed the accelerator to the floor, the gap between the two vehicles slowly decreasing.

            Spike ducked to his right as a bringer charged at him, a knife in each hand swinging for the vampire's head.  As his anger and adrenaline continued to increase, Spike's face shifted to its demonic form.  The bringer slashed at him again, this time Spike ducking and sidestepping to his left to avoid the attacks.  "Well alright," Spike swung the axe over his head and down across the bringer's knees, sending him collapsing to the bed of the truck.  "Let's have some fun," with the injured bringer collapsed to his knees, Spike brought the axe down upon his head, splitting his skull.

            Losing two of their comrades did nothing to deter the five remaining bringers in the bed of the truck.  Another closed on him, stabbing and slashing at him with his knife.  He backed up and easily side-stepped every attack made by the black robed figure.  As he was backing up, Spike was falling into a trap.  A bringer stood behind him with a long, pointed, wooden staff, pointed towards the vampire's back.  His instincts, however, did not fail him.  With a grin on his face, he swung his axe low to the ground, knocking the approaching bringer off his feet as the blade swept underneath them.  In the same movement, he swung the axe over his head and behind his back, cutting through the other bringer's neck, causing him to fall off the side of the truck.

            Before the bringer had finished falling, Spike spun around to face him.  He shifted the battle-axe to one hand and quickly grabbed the staff from the bringer with his other as the bringer toppled over the truck bed's side.  Spinning back around and ducking to dodge another hurled knife from one of his enemies, Spike lunged the staff into the head of the bringer he had disabled only seconds before, the weapon landing on its mark between his non-eyes.

            Next, Spike heard the unmistakable sound of a blade slicing through the crisp fall air, inches away from his head.  He rolled out of the way, readying his axe and looking up to see Faith restraining the arm of a bringer who was swinging a knife at his head.  "Need a hand?"  Holding his arm with both of hers, Faith kicked the bringer in the side of the face, giving her the needed opportunity to wrench the weapon from his grasp.  She rammed the weapon through his neck as she drew her own dagger to parry an attack from another of the remaining bringers.

            "Always," Spike got back and his feet and swung the axe back and to his left, into the chest of the last bringer that Faith was not already engaged against.  The defeated enemy fell back into the glass window separating the cab of the truck from the bed.  "From a hand as pretty as yours that is."

            Faith used her knife and pushed the last bringer away; grabbing the other knife out of the neck of the one she killed and purposefully strode towards the last.  Having to use little effort, she knocked away an attack and cut him across the arm, thighs and neck before finally driving the weapon she had taken from his comrade into his heart and pushing into the road, nearly colliding with Officer Smith's patrol unit.  "What've I told you about the cheap flattery Spike?"

            "That at least three times a week is a good idea if I want to stay on your good side?"  The vampire repeated a joke she had made to him during the summer than seemed relevant at this point.  "But seven times a week might be pushing it to the point that it wouldn't sound sincere anymore?"

            "You're learning," Faith sarcastically complimented him.  She rushed to his side, kneeling down, clenching her fist and smashing the separating window.  She didn't even look to see who was inside, knowing she only had seconds to act.  There were two bringers in the front seat, one driving and one in the passenger seat.  Before he could react to the window shattering, she rammed her dagger into the back of the passenger.  Doing the only other thing she could think of, she punched the driver in the face, grabbing the steering wheel and attempting to gain control over the vehicle.

            From their cars, Robert and Officer Smith watched as the suspect truck began to swerve wildly across the road.  "What the hell is going on?"  Smith called over the radio.  The bringer's truck and the two pursuing vehicles crossed into another residential neighborhood, roads lined with houses, trees and mailboxes.  When Robert said nothing in response, Smith decided it was time for another suggestion.  "We can try to push it off the road, get it to wreck out into one of these big trees, with the driver distracted it might be easier."

            He wanted to give Faith a chance but Officer Smith also presented him with a genuine opportunity to end part of this chase here, something he could not refuse.  "Let's go for it."  Robert decelerated slightly, Smith was the closer vehicle and in a better position to attempt what they were planning to do.  As Smith moved his vehicle closer, Robert again keyed his microphone to call into dispatch.  "1144 – PD, 1156 is going to attempt to push the vehicle off the road, try to get it to wreck out into a tree."

            "PD is clear 1144."

            From the bed of the truck, as Faith still struggled with the driver, attempting to gain control of the vehicle, Spike watched as the Sunnydale Police vehicle closed alongside the truck.  The expression in the eyes of the driver gave away his intentions.  "Uh ... Faith," Spike said seconds before the driver nudged his car into the truck.  Spike was knocked off his feet and into the bed of the truck, slowly pulling himself up.  He was back to his feet in enough time for the truck to be hit again and Spike again thrown down.  "Okay, that guy is cruising for a biting."

            With neither Faith nor the bringer having complete control over the truck, it veered out of control when the police unit struck it for a third time.  After it spun several times, Faith finally managed to gain enough control over the steering wheel to aim the truck for a large and nearby tree in the front yard to one of the many houses on this street.

            As the truck impacted and bent into the tree, Faith was thrown forward, her head hitting the dash.  She recovered from her momentary daze in just enough time to not stop the driver from throwing his door open and running out of the car, taking off across the grass front yard and towards a tall, white, wooden fence.

            Robert slammed on his brakes, swinging his patrol car onto the sidewalk next to the now disabled truck.  In a split second, he had his seatbelt off and was out of the car, his gun drawn as he chased the bringer towards the fence.  "Police!  Freeze!"  As he huffed and puffed to keep up with the foot pursuit, the cameraman was glad he caught that line.  Officer Smith peeled in on the other side of the truck and also took off on foot towards Robert, his weapon drawn as well.

            Spike stood up in the back of the truck and shook his head as he watched the two police officers and the small man with a large camera chasing the bringer through the yard.  "Cops take things too damn seriously," he thought they should try relaxing and having a little more fun with their jobs.  He then saw Faith scramble out of the cab, rushing to join the in progress foot pursuit.  "Ah, what the hell," Spike vamped out, leaped onto the ground and rushed towards the now large group chasing the bringer.

GO TO ACT THREE 


	4. Act Three

ACT THREE 

**SUNNYDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT**

**FOOT PURSUIT; ****12:59 AM******

            Robert secured his weapon in its holster as he leapt over the fence, using his arms to pull himself over the rest of the distance his jump did not cover.  As he finished negotiating the fence, the bringer was already half way across the backyard, running around a swimming pool to the fence on the other side.  Landing on the ground, he drew his pistol and began running in pursuit.

            Despite the considerable lead the bringer had, Robert quickly gained on him.  When the distance between them had decreased enough, Robert jumped forwards, tackling the bringer and sending him to the ground face first.  This did not deter the evil minion.  Despite being held by Robert, he rolled over, kicking Robert in the side of the head and bouncing back to his feet.  Robert was back on his within seconds, taking aim with his pistol when the bringer leapt into a spinning kick, knocking his weapon to the ground.

            Robert dove for his pistol as the bringer reached into his cloak, drawing a knife.  In the time it took Robert to recover the weapon, the bringer ran towards and stabbed at him with the blade.  He rolled out of the way, the blade embedding into the grass and dirt.  Acting in less than a second, Robert took aim at the bringer, who was pulling his weapon from the ground, and fired a single shot.  The sound rang out as the bullet sliced through the air and struck the bringer in the arm, knocking him to the ground.

            As the bringer fell to the ground, Faith reached them.  The Slayer kicked the blade from his hand, sending it bouncing into the clean blue waters of the uncovered backyard swimming pool.  She and Robert each grabbed one of his arms and pinned him to the ground by planting their knees on his back.  Robert kept his pistol trained on their enemy's head while Faith drew her dagger and planted it against the back of his neck.  

When the cameraman and Officer Smith reached them, a middle-aged man and woman had emerged from the glass doors at the rear of the residence, evidently awoken by the noise from the yard.  Officer Smith, seeing the situation to be more or less under control, immediately holstered his pistol and went to speak with them.  The cameraman continued to inch closer to Faith and Robert as the mysterious young woman, who he would be dubbing to be another vigilante, pressed the restrained suspect for information.

"Where the hell are the girls?"  Faith twisted the dagger ever so slightly into the back of the bringer's neck but did not receive any response.  Though she hadn't had the opportunity during her struggle for control of the truck to get a good luck at the inside, she was certain neither Dawn or Kennedy were being held in that vehicle.  "What do you want with them?"  Again she twisted the dagger slightly.

Despite Faith's degree of torture, the bringer did not yield.  Acting with extreme strength and skill, he wrenched his arm free of Faith's grip.  He rolled away from her and into Robert before the Slayer could deliver a killing blow with her dagger.  "It's not them we want," the bringer drew another dagger from inside his cloak as he flipped back to his feet.  Robert and Faith surrounded him.

"You guys don't quit do you?"  Faith marveled at the resistance and strength being displayed by the bringer.

"We will not be stopped," the bringer launched into predictably evil speech.  "The First will rise again and all of you will feel its power.  You will be brought to your knees and beg for mercy as you experience a slow and agonizing death.  Nothing can defeat –" The speech ended as Robert fired two shots into the bringer's skull.

"Stopped," Robert shrugged, replacing his weapon in the holster.  Spike was now over the fence and joined the group of them around the body of the dead bringer.

"Subtle," Faith dryly commented.  She looked up at the blonde vampire whose face reverted to its normal form before the cameraman panned to him for a close up shot.  "Spike, thanks for the help back there, couldn't have done it without ya."

"You're welcome," both Spike and the cameraman answered at the same moment.  The vampire gave him a curious expression, unable to understand how the awkward little man thought he might have contributed something to the recent fight.  "Who the hell are you?"  The vampire was blunt with his question.

"Oh I'm –" Faith cut off what she was sure would be a long, detailed, boring and pointless 

"Look, considering as how Dawn and Kennedy are still missing and there's still a hell of a lot of bringers on the loose out there, I don't think we have a whole lot of time for lengthy introductions."  Faith sheathed her dagger behind her back.

"Faith's right," Robert was the first of the three to chime in.  During the excitement, he had kept his ear open to radio chatter from other officers via his lapel microphone and knew there was still a great deal of work left to do.  "The other officers are still in pursuit of the bringers," at that moment, they all listened as Officer Koch called in an update on his location pursuing the van.  "That's not far from here," Robert quickly recognized the name of the street.

"You guys go!"  Before anyone could speak up, Officer Smith shouted at them from the back porch of the house where he was still talking with the owners.  "I'll get things secured here and catch up to you."  That was all they needed to hear.  Breaking into a run, Faith, Spike, Robert and the cameraman all made for his car.

"Now you don't mind if I hitch a ride do you?"  Spike didn't particularly address Robert or Faith, simply posed the question to whoever was willing to listen.

"Officer Bloodworth, if I could comment," the cameraman didn't give Robert the chance to refuse before continuing with whatever he was wanting to say.  "Well, you and Faith are in the front seat and I need a place in the back plus space for all of my extra equipment, I just don't think there will be room."

Less than a minute later, as Robert tossed his car into gear and sped down the street, a large black bag of recording equipment flew out the back, driver's side window of the patrol car.  "Takes care of that problem doesn't it?"  With the almost frightening glare Spike was giving him, the cameraman did not say anything in response.

"1144 – 1122," carefully negotiating the roads to make his way to their last known location, Robert wasted no time in calling Officer Koch for an update on his status.

"1122, go ahead Robert."

"Frank we're en-route to back you up, can you give me a location, we'll try to set up a road block," Robert was thinking ahead this time.

"We're on White right now," Koch wasted no time in responding.  "Just passed the Henry intersection.  Doing about eighty-five miles per hour, southbound."

The tires of the patrol car squealed as Robert slung it around a corner, knowing the perfect place to set their trap.  "All right, we're going to set up the spike strip at White and Jefferson, you should be rolling through their in just a couple of minutes."

"10 – 4."

"This, this is amazing stuff," as their radio conversation ended, the cameraman then launched into another one of his overly dramatic narratives.  "After a fierce battle between multiple armed suspects and two vigilantes, we're now on our way to setup a roadblock to stop another one of the suspect vehicles.  We can only assume there will be more armed suspects and another dangerous confrontation.  I can't begin to describe it, this is harrowing stuff."

"Oh would you put a sock in it," Spike had only listened to him babbling for a few seconds and already he had heard more of it than he could stand.

"Excuse me?"  The cameraman was taken aback by his bluntness.

"You heard me; I don't think I can listen to another second of that melodramatic crap of yours.  Faith, has he been doing this the whole time he's been in the car?"  The Slayer only nodded in response.  "Wow, got to say you have more control than me, I would have bit him a long time ago."

"Well, I've been doing this for quite a long time and I know how to make quality television and my narrative will go down in history as one of the best ever!"

"Shut.  Up."  Spike snapped his teeth in the direction of the cameraman.  After a moment of hesitation and deciding he didn't want to know exactly what Spike meant by biting, he turned the camera back towards Robert and Faith in the front seat of the vehicle.

A minute later, as Robert brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt at one side of the intersection, all of the doors popped open.  The cameraman positioned himself to get a view of the direction Officer Koch would be coming from while Faith and Spike stood ready for any of the bringers that wanted a fight after the vehicle was stopped.  Robert went to the open trunk where he retrieved his spike strip that was currently rolled up.  Standing by the front tire of his car, Robert tossed the strip and let it roll out across the intersection, covering the entire length of it.  He then drew his pistol and waited with Spike and Faith.

"1144 – 1122, spike strip is deployed."

"10 – 4," as Officer Koch answered, they could now see the red and blue lights from his patrol unit at the top of the small hill the intersection sat at the bottom of.  The siren of his vehicle rang through the night as it and the van closed on their position.  Predictably, the van moved over to the other side of the road so as to not collide with Robert's patrol unit.  In the black of the night however, they did not see the strip on the ground.  At a high rate of speed, the van slid across the strip, a loud popping noise and sparks flying as their tires were shredded.  At the last minutes, Officer Koch slammed his brakes and veered away from their strip, pulling his patrol unit onto the nearby curb.

The van lost all control as soon as its tires were destroyed.  It skidded down the road before flipping over and coming to an abrupt halt against a telephone poll.  Weapons in hand, Faith, Spike, Robert and Officer Koch ran down the hill to where the chase of the van had ended.  When they neared the upside down vehicle, the windows on all sides of it shattered, bringers crawling out from each one; more than twelve total, each drawing daggers or preparing spears as they saw the group near.

"You ever wonder how so many of these guys fit into such a small place?"  The group came to a halt several feet away from the bringers, Spike flipped his battle-axe in his hands as their enemies prepared for battle, spreading out as if to defend the van, forming a line in front of it.

"Police!  Get down on the ground!"  Koch shouted, steadying his aim with his pistol against one of the closest bringers.  "Down on the ground now!"  He repeated his order a third time immediately following his second.

"Don't think it's going to work mate," Spike remained steady, gripping his axe tightly.

Koch did not move his gun away from the target but glanced over at Spike.  Until that moment, though he had noticed Spike, he hadn't given him much thought, thinking he had been part of the 'Cops' camera crew before he noticed the large axe in his hand.  "Who the hell are you?  And what the hell are you doing with an axe?"

"Getting ready to keep your ass from getting killed mate," Spike's eyes did not falter from the rows of bringers arraying themselves between them and the van.  "And the name is Spike."

"He's with me," Robert tossed in, his aim also not deviating from the bringers.

Koch gave a final glance to the motley crew that Robert had brought with him, wondering where it was he found people like that.  "Yeah, whatever."

"They're trying to protect the van," Faith assumed based on the formation the bringers had spread out into.  "The girls have got to be in there."

"Fourteen bringers against four of us," Spike grinned.  "Pretty good odds."

"Robert you're with me, we hit them from the left.  Spike, you and the other guy take them from the right," like a second nature, Faith quickly planned their attack and handed out assignments to the others.

"Hey sweetie," Koch was becoming increasingly annoyed with the attitudes being displayed by these two people who Robert had brought along.  "Hate to say it but I don't remember anyone giving you any sort of authority here, this is a police matter after all."

"Fine," Faith shrugged, letting Koch have a short second to think she had actually admitted he was right.  "If you don't want Spike's help, then you don't have to take it but we're going in whether you want to come or not."  Faith began cautiously walking to the left of the bringers, Robert following with his gun at the ready.

"Hold it!"  Koch wasn't about to let a civilian, albeit an armed civilian, walk into a dangerous situation, especially when there were potentially hostages involved.  "I'm not going to let you do that."

Faith slowly turned around, her hands on her hips as she glared at Koch.  "You going to try and stop me copper?"  The Slayer knew she didn't have time to deal with a cop who had an inflated idea of his own importance in this matter.  "Because the only way you're going to do that is to kill me and if that's something you really want to do, take your best shot.  Otherwise, let me go kill the bad guys."

Koch turned to Spike who was still waiting next to him, axe in hand and ready for a fight.  "All right let's go," the two of them began walking to the other side of the bringers while Faith and Robert continued to their left.  "So what's your story?"  Koch made an attempt to break the awkward silence between him and the vampire by making small talk.

"Oh the usual I suppose," Spike didn't know what to tell him that wouldn't further the young man's confusion.  "Met a girl, changed my whole life for her, went through hell and back just for that girl.  Then in the end, she decided she'd rather go globe-hopping with her lesbian best friend rather than be with me after I helped her save the world.  So now I fight evil."

Koch raised his eyebrows, somewhat shocked and very sorry he had asked the question.  "Rough," was the only sentiment he could provide.

"Tell me about it."

Seven of the bringers broke off from the rest and moved to intercept Faith and Robert when they neared the van.  Most carried daggers and also had long, wooden, pointed spears.  Faith stepped up, her own dagger in a ready position as Robert covered her with his pistol from behind.  "Hey, no-eyed wonders," Faith remained cool as she approached them despite the numerical odds not being in their favor.  "Give you a chance to walk away no without any problems."

One of the bringers surged forth, swinging his dagger in a strong vertical attack.  Faith raised her own weapon, blocking the blade of her enemy.  The bringer continued to push down but Faith's strength did not yield under the pressure, holding her own dagger firmly in place.  Seeking to end the standoff, Faith delivered a fierce kick to the bringer's stomach, sending him sailing backwards into another of his kind, knocking them both to the concrete ground.  "All right, guess I'll take that as a no then."

When the two Faith had knocked on the ground regained their footing, all of the seven bringers facing off against her and Robert charged forward.  Faith jumped back, dodging one of the bringers with two daggers who was swinging them both at her.  She ducked under the whirlwind of blades, jamming her dagger into the bringer's thigh before he had a chance to react.  She spun back to a fully erect position, slicing the bringer across the neck in the process, his lifeless body falling to the ground.

Robert fired four shots in quick succession, dropping one of the four bringers that closed on him while three others were fighting Faith.  Before he had the chance to aim and fire at a second of the black-robed figures, one swung his spear, knocking the gun out of his hand as the remaining three surrounded him.  As if the situation wasn't bad enough, from the corner of his eye, Robert could see the cameraman slowing sleeking towards him, filming his every move.

"All right guys," Robert kept his eyes on each bringer, knowing their location and movements either through sight or through his other senses.  "Just do me one favor and let's make this look good for the camera."  With a great deal of speed, he reached behind his empty pistol holster on his duty belt, drawing his closed, expandable baton.  With a flick of his wrist, he extended the object to twenty-six inches of steel.

A bringer with a spear attacked first, twirling it above his head before he brought it down towards Robert's skull.  He ducked and rolled out of the way, positioning himself behind the minion.  Still on his knees, Robert struck the bringer in the back of the knees with his baton causing him to topple.  When he was back on his feet, he didn't have time to deliver another blow as another bringer attacked, by thrusting his knife at Robert.

The other group of seven bringers began moving to meet Spike and Koch when they got close to the van.  Koch, ever resolute, aimed his weapon at the closest of the group.  "All of you down on the ground!"  

Spike shook his head and continued walking forward, past the police officer.  The first bringer advanced on him, swinging at Spike's neck with each of his daggers, the vampire almost effortlessly dodging both attacks.  Without having to use a great deal of finesse, Spike rammed the axe through the skill of the bringer.  "That's the only way they go to the ground mate."

Spike turned his head to face Officer Koch in enough time to see him pull the trigger on his gun twice.  The bullets soared past Spike's head as he quickly turned back to see their target, a bringer who was close to landing a wooden spear in a place that would have ended the vampire.  "I'm getting that," Koch remarked dryly.

"Thanks," nothing else was said as the two waded into the remaining five bringers.  Spike raised his axe, using the handle to block a diagonal swipe from a bringer armed with a knife.  He pushed the bringer away, smacking him in the face with the blunt end of the axe handle, this action marked by several bone snapping sounds.  Despite that, the bringer persisted, taking another swipe at Spike that tore through his black t-shirt.  As his anger flared, Spike's face also shifted to its vampiric form.  He ducked another swipe from the bringer and drove the head of the axe into his stomach.  When he pulled the blade out, he again hit the bringer under the chin to finish the job.

Armed with a spear, a bringer stabbed at Faith.  She side-stepped the attack and grabbed the extended spear with both hands.  Displaying her superior strength, she used the spear to fling the bringer into the air.  He landed several feet away on his head, effectively taking him out of the fight.  She spun around, blocking the knife of the last remaining bringer.  Spinning the spear around multiple times, she knocked the knife from the hand of her enemy.  She continued spinning the spear until she suddenly drove it through the non-eye of the disarmed bringer.

Robert jumped over the head of the bringer who attempted to stab him.  Doing a flip in mid-air, he landed behind him, striking the dark figure across the neck with his baton, killing him as the impact snapped the critical bones.  He snatched the dagger from the hand of the dead bringer as he fell to the ground.  Holding it by the end of the blade, he hurled it into the skull of another of the enemy soldiers as he charged towards him.

Before he had time to worry about the last bringer, a hand grabbed the minion of the First from behind and a dagger slid across his neck, blood rolling out from the cut as Faith released him and he fell to the ground.  "Not bad, not perfect," she remarked with a wry grin.  "But not bad."  They ran towards the van.

Having knocked one of the bringers to the ground, Spike drove his axe into chest.  "I'm about getting tired," he pulled the blade out and immediately hit another approaching bringer in the skull with an upward swing.  "Of fighting you things," he swung the axe horizontal to the ground, severing the head of the last bringer they were confronted with.  Regaining control of his emotions, Spike shifted his face back to normal, hopefully before Koch had the opportunity to notice.

Walking up to Spike, placing his pistol back in the holster and admiring the handy work of this man, the mass of dead bodies, Officer Koch had only question to ask of this mysterious associate of Robert's.  "You ever thought about a career in law enforcement?"

Spike could not help but find humor in that statement.  "Not really mate."

"You sure?  'Cause we've got a S.W.A.T. team I think you'd be great for."

Flashlight in hand, Robert got down on his stomach and looked inside the flipped over wreck of a van the bringers had been driving and more recently protecting.  It did not take him long to see the reason the bringers had been so intent on keeping them away from the vehicle.  He crawled inside and crawled back out with Kennedy in his arms.  Her arms and legs were bound, duct tape across her mouth and, from the black splotches on her clothes and eye, it was clear she had had a rough ride.

As Spike and Koch joined them, Faith pulled the tape off her mouth while Robert cut the ropes around her arms and feet with his police-issue switchblade knife.  "What the hell took you guys so long?"  Was the first thing out of Kennedy's mouth when her eyes popped open.  "I mean, I was expecting a rescue a long-time before this."

"Sorry 'bout the delay doll; did the best we could under the circumstances," Spike was the first of the group to say anything in response.

Faith wasn't interested in explaining.  Once she believed Kennedy was alright, and the sarcastic comments were signs enough of that, she was only interested in getting information.  "Kennedy, where's Dawn?  Where did they take her?  What are the bringers doing?"  Faith could think of a million possible questions but opted to start with those.

While Faith was talking and the others listening, Officer Koch stepped back from the group and keyed his lapel microphone.  "1122 – PD, we have multiple suspects down at this location and one hostage recovered, going to need EMS here as soon as possible."

"1020 – 1122," before dispatch could respond, Sergeant Myers was on the radio to Koch.  "That last vehicle, we were just a little past the city limits and they turned onto a dirt road.  Multiple suspects and a young woman exited the vehicle.  They took her into this old, rundown house.  CHP is on their way and I've called for the S.W.A.T. team and hostage negotiator but I could sure use you guys out here just as soon as you can clear from there."

"10 – 4 boss, be on our way shortly."

"They put her in one of the trucks," was the only thing Kennedy knew about Dawn's whereabouts.  "They broke into the house Faith and it was nuts.  I tried, we all tried to fight them off but there were too many.  All I heard was that they needed blood."  As she was recalling the events of the last hour, she suddenly realized how peculiar one of their statements seemed.  "But they didn't want me.  They said that, they didn't want me."

"Kennedy, the other truck, they were diversions," Robert whispered, putting the pieces together.  "It's Dawn they want."

Faith stood up, walking towards Robert's patrol car.  Everything about the Slayer, from the flame in her eyes to the way she walked declared that she was resolute.  "Let's roll."  All the others, even Kennedy, followed her.

GO TO ACT FOUR 


	5. Act Four

ACT FOUR 

**SUNNYDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT**

**BARRICADED SUSPECTS; ****01:07 AM******

            "But what do they want Dawn for?"  As Robert turned down the dirt road, Officer Koch's patrol unit closely behind his own, Spike asked the question that was on all of their minds.  "I mean, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Kidnapping definitely doesn't go along with the general theme the First established last year after all."

            "What'd you do with camera boy?"  Faith didn't want to deal with the subject of the First right now.  With her mind totally set on Dawn, she hadn't even bothered to ask how he ditched the rather annoying little man to make room for Kennedy next to Spike in the backseat of his car.  "He decide Sunnydale was a little too weird for him and pack off back to la la land?"

            "He's riding with Koch, figured it might be a little crowded in here for him."  After proceeding down a long dirt driveway, they came upon the house.  Multiple Sunnydale Police, county sheriff and California Highway Patrol units were already on scene, the spotlights from their vehicles brightly illuminating the rickety old house.  It was two stories with chipped, faded white paint, boarded up windows and the bringer's truck parked outside.

            As the group exited the vehicle, Robert placing his own spotlights on the house as well, Spike was appalled at the sight in front of them.  "You know, these bad guys have no sense of style anymore.  "You'd never have caught Dru and me in a place like this."  He continued thinking about his statement.  "Okay, well a couple of times but those were really bad years and a guy has to have a roof over his head."

            Robert could see the Sunnydale PD S.W.A.T. van with the team gearing up outside of it.  Sergeant Myers waived him over to his car where it seemed as though they had established something of a temporary command post.  Faith, Spike and Kennedy followed him.  Officer Koch and the cameraman were close behind them.  "Robert, Koch and Smith say you did a good job with the other two vehicles, though from the sound of it, I doubt these guys are going to be real willing to talk to our hostage negotiator once he arrives."

            "Yeah, you can pretty much count that out," Robert agreed.

            "We're not sure how many of them there are," Myers continued.  "I counted eight getting out of the truck when I pulled up here but they may very well have hooked up with some more of their people inside the house.  S.W.A.T. is getting prepped and will be ready to go in as soon as the chief tells us we have a go."

            "So what, you just want us to sit back and wait for you guys to handle things?"  Kennedy spoke up before any of the others   "Our friend is in there, who knows what those guys are planning to do with her.  We can't just sit back and do nothing!"

            "Who's this?"  Confused, Sergeant Myers looked at Robert.

            Before Kennedy could spout off another comment, Spike put his hand across her mouth, muffling what was likely another smart retort.  "She's a little girl who has had far too much excitement for one night and is just saying some wild things."

            "So anyways," Sergeant Myers moved.  "There are two entry teams going in, one from the front and one from the back.  They're going to sweep the house, kill anything that doesn't give up and rescue the girl."  The Sergeant made the whole thing seem so simple.

            "It won't work," it was Faith's turn for the negative comment.  "Your people don't know how to fight them.  Guns work fine at first but there's going to be more of them in there than you can deal with by using a bunch of fancy pancy shooting and gadgets.  You need people who've fought these things before."

            "Sarge," seeing the anger swell in Myers' eyes, Robert knew he had to jump in before Faith started saying more things he would likely regret in the future.  "Maybe we should give the hostage negotiator a little bit of time once he arrives.  You never know, he might be able to talk them out.  Anything's better than more killing and violence, we've already had quite enough of that tonight."

            The sergeant nodded.  "That's a good point Robert.  I'll tell S.W.A.T. that they're on standby until the hostage negotiator gives the go.  He should be here any minute now.  In the meantime, if you could keep your friends out of my sight, it'd be greatly appreciated."  Myers walked off.  Faith clenched her fist, her nostrils flaring as she started to walk up behind him but was held back by Robert.  It wasn't something she had wanted to do anyways, just something that would have given a temporary sense of release.

            "Robert you have to let us go in there," Faith pleaded.  "Spike, Kennedy and I can get Dawn out and not in a way that's going to end up in a bunch of cops getting their asses handed to 'em by the bringers."  Looking at his expression, she didn't feel as though she was getting through to him.  "Robbie, if you guys go trotting off in there trying to be heroes, Dawn dies.  Whatever the bringers are up to, whatever they need Dawn for; it's not going to be the police that stop them."

            "Faith, you know you don't have to convince me of anything."

            That answer took her by surprise.  "I don't?  So you just let me ramble on with that big long speech because?"

            "I like the sound of your voice," Robert shrugged.  He didn't have a real reason.  "Look, you'll have to circle through the woods to the back of the house.  We've got people watching it but you'll probably have an easier time slipping in unnoticed.  I'll stick close to Myers and the negotiator when he gets here, try to buy you all as much time as I can."

            "Thanks Robbie," with a soft and genuine smile on her face, Faith reached out and gently squeezed one of his hands in her own.  It was one of the little things Faith had a habit of doing without even realizing what it did to him.  Knowing that she didn't even realize it, it was something he couldn't ever bring himself to call her on.

            "Not a problem Faith.  You'd better get going," she turned to walk away when her cellular phone rang from her back pocket.  With everything that had been going on, she had forgotten about it being there.  When she pulled it out and glanced at the neon blue display, only two words were displayed, 'Ringing' and 'Dawn'.

            She couldn't move fast enough to press the send button and put the phone to her ear.  "Dawn?"  She heard nothing on the other end.  "Dawn, is that you?"

            "Faith," Dawn's voice on the other end was sheepish and tired.

            "Yeah Dawn," she sat down on the hood of Robert's patrol car.  "Yeah, it's me, I'm here, we're all here.  Robert, Spike and Kennedy."

            "Kennedy's okay?"

            "Uh, yeah, she's fine," the fact that one of the first things Dawn said was to ask about another person took Faith by surprise.  It seemed that she would be more worried about herself at this time.  "I mean, had kind of a bumpy ride but she's none the worse for wear.  How are you?"

            "Okay, I guess, I mean, they haven't stabbed me or cut my innards out or anything, that's a good sign isn't it?"  Faith chuckled and Dawn continued before she could answer the question that was mostly intended in jest.  "I'm scared Faith.  They keep saying that they need blood; they're working on some kind of ritual.  You know, the last time someone needed my blood for some type of ritual, it wasn't exactly one designed to clean up the ozone layer."

            "I know Dawn, just hang on, we're going to get you out of there," Faith did the best she could to reassure her.  Even though she wasn't sure about their chances of success, she did promise herself one thing, Dawn would make it out of there.  "Dawn, can you tell me where you are?"

            Dawn was silent for a moment as Faith sensed she was looking around, trying to determine as much as possible about where she was being held.  "It's one of the rooms upstairs, there's a few I think, I'm not sure which one it is.  Most of the bringers and the other guy are downstairs I think."

            That caught Faith's attention.  With an alarmed expression on her face, she stood up off the hood of the car and almost began pacing.  "Dawn, what other guy?  We thought it was just the bringers."

            "There's someone else.  I just saw him for a second, he told me it wouldn't be long now.  He called himself Brother Gabriel, I can't remember anything else, they carried me up the stairs right after that."  Dawn's voice got softer, as if she was growing increasingly afraid that someone might hear her.

            "Okay Dawn," this new information did not factor well into Faith's plan as she had to consider unknown information to be the worst case scenario.  "Just hang on, we'll be right there."  She put her hand over the end of the phone and handed it in Robert's direction.  "Talk to her, if she remembers anything else, call Spike, just keep her occupied long enough for us to get in there and kick some ass."  Robert nodded and pressed the phone to his hear.

            The Slayer turned her back and walked away from him.  She joined up with Spike and Kennedy who were already walking into the dense trees that surrounded the house on all sides.  "You guys have a bad feeling about this?"

            "Oh, what's there to have bad feelings about?  Only an evil looking house with a bunch of evil guys piled up inside," both Faith and Spike shot Kennedy snide glares after that remark.

            Spike then smiled.  "My kind of place."

            Robert placed the phone to his ear, unsure of what he should say.  Keeping people calm while others went in to rescue them from the belly of a beast wasn't exactly his forte.  "Hey Dawn," he scolded himself for coming up with such a truly non-impressive way to start a conversation.

            "Hey Robert," he couldn't blame Dawn for not doing any better given her circumstances.  Although the two of them knew each other, conversation hadn't exactly been something the two of them had had a great deal of time for.

            "You doing all right?"  Robert realized too late what a stupid question that in fact was.  Of course she wasn't doing all right.

            "Yeah, as good as could be expected I guess, given the whole being kidnapped thing," Robert smiled.  It must be a good thing that she was at least able to make jokes about it.

            "I'm sorry Dawn," Robert knew he wasn't the best person to be doing this.  Even Spike could probably hold a better conversation with her than he was able to.  "I guess I just not very good at this.  Wish I could say something to help but the only thing I keep coming up with in my head is that Faith will be there any minute."

            "I know Robert and you don't have to say anything to make me feel better.  Just anything to pass the time would be helpful," Robert knew she was hinting at something that he missed.

            "So what do you want to talk about?"

            "There's something I've been wondering about actually."

            "Shoot."

            "How'd you and Faith first meet?"  That was definitely a story good enough to kill the time until Faith rescued her and several hours afterwards.

*******

            It did not take the three of them long to sneak past the police officers keeping an eye on the back door.  As Faith and Kennedy readied weapons and flashlights, Spike delivered a swift kick to the old, splintered wooden door.  With a louder crash than he had wanted, it flew off its hinges, literally shattering as it impacted against the bland concrete floor of the house.  Faith, with dagger in hand, poked her head inside the open doorway, scanning it for any activity from the bringers, surprisingly seeing none.

            The Slayer stepped inside, Kennedy following behind her with a burning flashlight and Spike bringing up the rear.  They walked into a long corridor, a set of stairs to their left and a door several steps ahead of them to the right side.  "You two get upstairs," even though she knew where Dawn was, Faith suddenly felt drawn to checking out the other door.  "Get Dawn and get out of here."

            "No way!"  Kennedy protested.  "No way you're going to go wandering around here all alone."  When they were outnumbered as it appeared they were, she felt that strength in numbers was definitely the way to go. 

            Faith looked over her shoulder.  She said nothing but the eye contact she made with Spike said much more than needed to be.  Spike could tell a thing or two about Slayers and the look in the eyes of this one told him she wouldn't be dying today.  "Come on Kennedy," he put his hand on her shoulder and began to walk upstairs as Faith continued towards the other door.

            "We're not just going to let her go by herself!"

            "Yeah we are, she'll be fine."

            Faith listened to the sound of their footsteps disappearing up the stairs as she cautiously stepped into the adjoining room.  Ordinarily, she imagined it would be like much of the rest of the house, concrete floors, moldy wooden walls with flaking yellow paint and discarded wooden furniture adorned by cobwebs were the same as she had seen in the hallway they had entered from.

            It was one object that was out of place here, one object she knew made this room more important than the others, at least as far as the bringers and the First were concerned.  In the center of the room, surrounded by a pentagram drawn in white powder, with burning candles placed at each of its points was a golden podium.  Faith guessed it was about three feet tall, adorned by rows of black and white jewels that wrapped around it.  Above the flat surface atop it, red and black waves of energy swirled about, wrapping into a helix.

            "Yeah, nothing good can be going on here," Faith remarked to herself as she went in for a closer look.  It was a closer look she was apparently not destined to have.  From the two doors that led into the room, bringers surged forth, weapons drawn and pointed towards her.  Intermixed with them were several vampires in full battle form, snarling as they appeared in their full demonic form.  The Slayer was instantly in a defensive stance, holding her dagger and poised to strike as the bringers and vampires surrounded her.  "So, fifty against one, those odds sound about right for my life."  The tension increased as they simply stood around her, prepared to strike but not making any aggressive movements that prompt her to attack first.

            "So you must be Faith," she couldn't see where the voice with the slight Midwestern tinge had come from, only that is was from behind the rows of bringers and vampires that had surrounded her.  Then, as the bringers directly in front of her parted, making way, she could see the speaker.  A tall man, dressed in the garb of the bringers but with the hood over his cloak not obscuring his face, marked by short brown hair and similarly colored dark brown eyes.  "The Slayer," he looked her over, almost feeling her breath as the rate of her breathing increased.

            "Well, glad you know who I am," Faith did not let her guard down as the man with his arms held behind his back approached her.  Every instinct she had told her this man was evil, not necessarily a difficult decision to make.  "Don't suppose you'd want to do me the honor before the killing starts."

            "I am called Brother Gabriel," the man said plainly as he towered over the Slayer.  "Servant of the First Evil, disciple of Caleb."  His voice did not hide that he was quite proud of those qualifications.

            "Hate to tell you," Faith carried a smug grin on her face.  "But one of your bosses is the dead and the other one, well, not really sure what happened but I think it ended up being scattered all across the hellmouth."

            "Evil cannot be defeated," Faith sighed as she felt a long and drawn out speech from Gabriel coming, on the plus side, his stalling before the fight began was giving Spike and Kennedy enough time to get away with Dawn.  "You can kill its servants, you can scatter its essence across the darkness of the hellmouth but you cannot defeat evil.  Evil lives in every living thing; in the tiniest of children, in the actors, the businessmen and the grandma who sits on her front porch knitting a blanket.  The First Evil is the embodiment of that evil."

            "And it's gone," Faith tacked a low point onto the end of his speech.

            "Not for long," Gabriel did not hesitate in his reply.  "Soon the First Evil will be reconstituted, stronger and more powerful than ever before."  He extended one of his hands, keeping the other behind his back and gestured to the podium.  "Magic is tricky thing.  Everything must be in perfect alignment for this spell to work and now, we lack only the final component needed, to reconstruct the First."

            Now everything was beginning to make sense.  She knew Dawn was different from everyone else and it didn't come as a big surprise that blood with that kind of power would be needed for a ritual like this.  "Hate to tell you pal, but your hostage has probably already been rescued so you can toss whatever spell or ritual you wanted to perform out the door."  She cocked her head sarcastically.  "'Cause it's not happening anymore."

  
            Gabriel broke out laughing.  Faith suddenly realized there was more than she understood going on and everything was not as it seemed.  "I'm afraid you've gotten it quite wrong Faith.  She was of no interest to us, aside from serving one useful purpose."  Their eyes locked as Faith's concern and fear began to rise.  "To bring you here.  This spell is an ancient one, one that has never been used in all the thousands of years evil has existed, there was never a need for measures such as this to be taken."  Gabriel smiled as Faith began to realize what was happening hear.  "But surely you didn't think, something so ancient and so perfect wouldn't have a plan for bringing itself back if it ever were to be defeated.  It is the blood of a Slayer that is required, more specifically, the blood of a Slayer whose soul has been touched by evil."

            Faith's strength did not falter, despite being faced with overwhelming odds, her courage did not diminish.  "You want my blood, Brother Gabriel, come and get it."

            With the same evil grin on his face, he reached behind his back, drawing the standard dagger of the bringers, running the sharp blade across one of his fingers as he looked Faith in the eye.  "Gladly."  As he advanced, blinding light filled the room, drawing Faith's attention to both of the doorways.  She could barely see the silhouettes of the people as the lights attached to the barrels of their sub-machineguns were powerful enough to all but keep them hidden from sight.

            "Police!  Down on the ground!"  The S.W.A.T. officer in the lead of one of the entry teams shouted as the officers spread across the room, surrounding the bringers and vampires.  Faith could see Robert with them, their eyes caught as he kept his pistol aimed at the group of enemies.  "Down on the ground now!"  The team leader reiterated.

            The distraction provided by the teams of police officers was all the time Faith needed.  In a flash of speed, she snapped the wrist of the closest bringer, taking his dagger into her hand and stabbing him through the chest at the same time she stabbed another bringer on the opposite side with her dagger.  The bringers reacted, as did Gabriel, all of them beginning to attack Faith.

            This was all the motivation the police officers needed, especially as a group of bringers and vampires surged outward towards them.  The barrels of their guns lit up as the fully automatic weapons blazed to life, slicing down the ranks of bringers as the bullets sliced through them.  Robert took targets of opportunity as they came to him, shooting down any bringer that got to close, all the while trying to watch Faith's back.  It didn't seem as though she needed the help however, she was fighting off the groups of bringers as they attacked, making the whole thing seem effortless.

            Despite the chaos of the bringers attack and the gun fire around them, Faith and Gabriel focused on each other, everything else around them becoming mute.  They closed on each other.  Gabriel swung his knife, slicing through the air above Faith's head as she ducked to avoid the attack.  She dropped low to the ground, sweeping her leg and knocking Gabriel's out from under him.  As he fell to the ground, Faith sprung to her feet, knocking his dagger away with the weapon she had taken from the bringer and cut him across the neck with her own dagger.  Blood squirted from the room, splashing across her face and clothes.  As his dying body collapse and the bringers continued to fall around them, the energies over the podium dissipated.  "Scatter!"  Was Gabriel's last order to his remaining followers.

            On cue, the vampires and remaining bringers who had not been cut down by gunfire pushed their way past the police officers, making a break for the two available doors.  Robert rushed to Faith but she stopped him from being concerned about her before he was able to ask if she was all right.  "Go," was all she said, prompting him to follow the other officers after the bringers.  She was not far behind.

*******

            The bright light from the camera was almost more than Sergeant Myers could stand.  This cameraman was almost more than Sergeant Myers could stand.  It did at least help him pass the time while waiting to hear from the entry teams that had been authorized to go in once two of Robert's friends reportedly rescued the hostage from the building.  "So after I graduated from the academy, I was offered a patrol position in Sunnydale.  That was about eight years ago.  Let me tell you, seen some damn strange things in this down.  I was working this night-shift, three years ago or so and this big hole just like opened up in the sky and this dragon thing came out –" the sound of another officer's voice cut his interview short as the cameraman panned away to see what was going on.

            "There they go!"  The officer announced.  Coming from every possible exit of the building, the men in dark robes bolted from the house with officers on pursuit.  Sergeant Myers with the always enthusiastic cameraman followed.  After a moment, Robert and Faith were the last to emerge from the front door of the house.  They watched the frenzied scene of officers trying to chase them down.

            "Not much we're going to be able to do," Robert conceded, placing his pistol back in the holster after reloading it with a fresh magazine.  From behind the nearby group of police cars that had been left unattended, Spike, Dawn and Kennedy emerged, the two young ladies smiling.

            Dawn ran to Faith, wrapping her arms around her.  "Glad to see you're all right," she commented with an innocent smile which Faith returned as best she could.

            "Same for you brat," realizing they wouldn't likely be of anymore use to the officers trying without a great deal of success to run down the bringers, they all decided a few minute's rest was in order and sat down on the porch of the house.  Spike glanced around as the other officers still struggled and chased the bringers.

            "How long are they going to keep this up?"

            "I doubt much longer," Robert for one knew that, although the bringers were a threat, they had done the most they could to stop them for one evening.  With Faith having killed their leader, it would take them a while before they could try anything again.

            "So is this just a normal night on the job for you?"  Kennedy looked up at Robert as she leaned back on her hands.

            "No," Robert shook his head.  "Usually I write a lot more speeding tickets, harass a lot more teenagers and spend a lot more time at the donut shop," Robert successfully managed to sum up every stereotype about police officers in a single sentence.  "On the plus side," he glanced at his watch.  "Still about six hours left to get all that done."

            The chase and struggle between the bringers and officers winded down after approximately fifteen minutes.  Robert and Faith helped subdue one, having to slam him on the hood of a patrol car once he was handcuffed and began struggling.  Four were captured in all and taken downtown.

            "Might be fun booking those guys in," Dawn observed as the last patrol car with a bringer in the backseat left the scene.  "Emergency contact, The First.  What do you do for a living, minion.  Any health problems, no eyes."  The approach of Sergeant Myers to the group put an end to Dawn's comments.

            "You did good work tonight Robert," the Sergeant admitted.  With a few notable exceptions, this ranked among some of his weirder nights but he was impressed with the way Robert had handled himself during the situation.  "And you've got some good friends," that brought a smile to the face of Kennedy and Dawn.  He looked at Faith and Spike, both of whom just seemed to want to get away from here.  "I'll need the two of you to fill out some statements.  No big deal, just some standard stuff."

            "Right, no sweat," after this morning, Faith didn't care what she needed to do, so long as it got her out of here, into a hot shower, followed shortly by a bed.  The Sergeant walked away, leaving the five of them standing around.  Robert began walking to his car, pulling the keys out of his pocket.  "So what's the plan now supercop?"  Robert had an idea.

GO TO ENVOI 


	6. Envoi

ENVOI 

            "Why is it the living always steal all the damn jellies?"  Spike grumbled as he sorted through the dozen donuts Robert had purchased that sat atop their table at one of the local, all-night donut establishments.  Next time he wouldn't be so quick in volunteering to get the drinks once the donuts were sitting on the table.

            "Didn't think vampires would have much of an affinity for jellies?"  Dawn smirked as she took a bight into an oozing strawberry jelly donut, a small amount of it running down her chin.  "Pictured you as more of a cake donut kind of demon."

            "Excuse me?"  Spike raised a brow at her.  "Rich, gooey, red, inner-filling once you pierce the soft, yet still satisfying outer shell.  You didn't think something like that might interest a vampire?"

            Faith, smiling at the exchange between them, glanced over at Robert, who was quietly enjoying one of the sweet snacks with a steaming cup of coffee.  "Not a bad idea you had here Robbie," she could not deny that relaxing and spending time with her friends was just the kind of break she needed as much as any of the rest of them.  With everything that had been going on, it had been a long time since they were all able to just sit down and spend a few minutes of time together.

            "Guess I can't go trying to disprove all the stereotypes about police officers in one night," though he considered donuts and coffee more of a necessity than an unwanted stereotype.

            "Hey, I don't think anyone around here is complaining about it," Kennedy remarked as she sunk her teeth into a grape jelly donut.

            Spike glared at her for a moment but finally agreed.  "Except that you could have gotten more jellies.  I mean seriously, did everyone got a jelly except the vampire?"

            "Well we kind of figured you needed to cut back," Faith quipped as she bit into her own jelly donut.  "I mean, you're kind of getting a little chubby around the midsection.  I was almost afraid you wouldn't make that jump onto the truck."

            "You jumped onto a truck?"  Dawn asked, her eyes wide and her mouth full of donut.  "Never were one for the easy entrance were you?"

            "Hey, the Slayer here did it too," Spike nodded his head in her direction.

            "You know we're definitely going to have to pull the videotape from the camera in my patrol car and watch that whole thing one of these nights."  Robert polished off the donut and took a long swig of coffee.

            "Going to be some damn weird things on that tape," Spike commented, finally getting over not having a jelly and sinking his teeth into a cruller.  "Good thing it's just yours and a few other cars with all that stuff."

            Faith and Robert shared a glance with each other.  In the excitement, they had almost forgotten about it.  "Oh god," they both said in unison.

*******

            "Well that wasn't," as the ending credits to the Sunnydale Police edition of "Cops" rolled across their television screen, Tom Bellard struggled to find the words that adequately expressed his opinion on it.  After initially turning away from it and discovering that there was nothing else on TV, they had decided to give it a chance.  "Well that was ... interesting, yeah it was interesting."

            "I wanna be like the guy on the motorcycle!"  Their son enthusiastically said from in front of the television set.

            "No you don't," Mrs. Bellard quickly shot down that idea.  "So what do we watch next?"  A possible answer to her question appeared on the screen.  The image split in half, the left side devoted to the credits and the right side devoted to John Walsh against the familiar "America's Most Wanted" backdrop, obviously a preview for an upcoming episode.

            "Tonight on America's Most Wanted," Walsh's enthusiasm for his job never seemed to die.  "Police and Federal authorities need your help in tracking down this man," an image appeared in the corner above Walsh of a man, likely in his thirties with mid-length brown hair, dressed in what seemed to be the traditional collar of a preacher.  "A dangerous fallen preacher who, last year, moved from church to church preaching only one thing, murder!  Federal authorities were hot on his trail until he was sighted in Sunnydale, California last year and seemingly disappeared, leaving only a cold trail behind with months of no additional leads.  Tonight, you can help bring this dangerous man known only as Caleb to justice!"

            Tom Bellard looked around at his family.  "So what do you think, we change the channel?"

            "Yeah."  Click.

**EXECUTIVE PRODUCER**

**Gary Boshears**

GO TO EPISODE SEVEN: FAITH MANAGES


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